Semi luxury private bus fleet soon

7 January 2012 12:03 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 14 Bookmark

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Apparently inspired by the Southern Expressway SLTB bus service, private bus owners yesterday decided to introduce semi-luxury buses to replace normal buses on all urban feeder routes around the country to provide a fast and convenient transport for passengers.

The Lanka Private Bus Owners Association (LPBOA) said SLTB buses on the expressway which charged Rs.400 were in high demand due to the swift and efficient transportation provided by the service.

LPBOA President Gemunu Wijeyratne said private luxury buses charged half that amount at Rs.230 to travel from Galle to Colombo.

“We can see the exorbitant demand for these luxury bus services and we hope to introduce semi-luxury buses to improve our services and to meet the needs of the people,” Wijeyratne said. The LPBOA made a request to the National Transport Commission yesterday to introduce semi-luxury buses to replace the normal buses.

He said the association also hoped to discuss with the government to remove the tender procedures for bus routes and introduce a new system to enable anyone to purchase a permit to prevent alleged abuse of permits. (Olindhi Jayasundere)

Comments - 14

Sagarika Saturday, 07 January 2012 01:23 AM

great,but we need a double railway track to matara as well! so that poor people can afford to travel!

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Rosh Saturday, 07 January 2012 03:22 AM

Ha ha ha, cat jumping out from the sack !!!! An alternate way to charge more from passengers as these culprits wont adhere any protocols laid, In short time, it would be the same old dirty bus service charging more !!! I simply don't trust what these bunch of rascals say !!!

4 48

Nodrog Saturday, 07 January 2012 03:27 AM

before anything, get decent, safe and polite drivers and conductors. Most private bus-crews are rude thugs with no regard for passengers comfort or safety.

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lenkact Saturday, 07 January 2012 03:45 AM

Its seem like very soon Express way going to be Traffic way, adding so many buses. Only limited number of CTB buses are enough to carry out the operation, i think if you add privately own buses, that means going to be very traffic express way soon.

3 27

Mohamed Saturday, 07 January 2012 03:48 AM

What a service for Rs.230/=, broken A/C, warm inside the bus, standing passangers, and overloading. What they want to do is change name to Semi Luxury service and charge extra fare. WHO IS CHECKING THAT THESE BUSSES ARE RUNNING AS EXPECTED ( as required by the regulations to charge extra from the passengers)

2 38

dinesh withanage Saturday, 07 January 2012 04:26 AM

showing inability to meet the needs of ordinary travellers who accounts to a vast majority of the country's population the transport sector is skidding away from their responsibility and stepping towards a goal of an expensive cost of living. Government has been so adamant to listen to the request of private bus owners for reasonable fare hikes sympathising the plea of general public but in the meantime the government (SLTB) took initial steps to launch the expensive bus service prompting the private bus operaters to follow. What a silly stand of the state!!!

8 11

Analysis Saturday, 07 January 2012 04:36 AM

Convenient from private bus owners, They must be joking. Looks like they are feeling the heat a bit, Fast, you guys have broken all the records at the expense of innocent lives. So who wants you guys to go faster. They must be crazy!

Most people would be happy to pay extra Rs 170 for a decent service, not like cattles being loaded in private buses with AC deleberately stopping inconveiniencing passengers who paid for the AC service.

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ase Saturday, 07 January 2012 05:23 AM

great, but please first stop the terro on the streets, horning, racing, dengerous overtaking etc.

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Imran Hussein Saturday, 07 January 2012 05:36 AM

Semi luxury means no luxury. Eventually the so called luxury buses also will become ordinary dirty buses due to poor maintenance, like the so called chinese restaurants in the country.

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JJ Saturday, 07 January 2012 05:44 AM

They are planning a way to charge more from the ordinary man.
This will definitely increase the living cost of an ordinary man further. This is a good move only if the salaries of private sector and government sector increase accordingly.

3 13

UPALI Sunday, 08 January 2012 01:20 AM

If the private buses are allowed to operate on the expressway , GOD BLESS THE OTHER TRAVELLERS.

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Ranjith Gurugamage Sunday, 08 January 2012 01:39 AM

Please Keep Them away from the Southern Highway, If the demand is high ask the CTB to provide more Buses.For god sake keep them away from the Express way.-Aargee

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xlntgson Sunday, 08 January 2012 02:34 AM

Ostensibly the rich can use both and criticise, the poor has no alternative, either!

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GSK Sunday, 08 January 2012 02:45 AM

all well. is southern Express way connect major cities like, Kandy, Kurunagala and ratnapura???

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